Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in his Department are employed to assess compensation claims from British nuclear test veterans who served on Christmas Island.

Nuclear Test Veterans (NTVs) who believe they have suffered ill health due to Service have the right to apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme (WPS). Each case is considered on its own merits. War Disablement Pensions are medically certified with relevant material facts including on claimed incidents, events, and exposures.

There is not a specific NTV claim form for compensation under the WPS. However, a supplementary form is available which allows for NTV-specific information to be provided at the point of claim.

The number of WPS claims with a supplementary NTV claim form attached and the information requested for the number of NTVs who applied for, and received compensation, over the last five years is not held centrally.

WPS Caseworkers are experienced and, together with qualified medical professionals, do their utmost to acquire the relevant evidence and information to ensure the decisions made are both fair and correct. Currently, there are 35 Caseworkers who assess claims and appeals under the WPS, which include the assessment of the supplementary NTV claim form. There are currently 30 Medical Advisers who medically certify War Disablement Pension decisions.

First claims made under the WPS during 2023/24 were cleared, on average, in approximately nine months. Second and subsequent claims made under the WPS during 2023-24 were cleared, on average, in seven months. War Widow/Widowers claims during 2023-24 were cleared, on average, in two months.